Insert molded antenna

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are disclosed for insert-molding various electronic and mechanical parts as part of a housing of an electrical device. The insert molded components can comprise antennas, flex members and circuits, electronic, mechanical, and interface units that have been insert molded as part of a plastic housing that contains the electrical device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods of insert-moldedcomponents as part of a housing compartment and in particular toelectronic and mechanical parts, (e.g. antenna, flex members, electricalcomponents), insert-molded into and/or as part of a plastic housing ofan electrical device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically there is a desire to reduce size of electronic units, whilelowering associated assembly costs and improving overall ruggedness. Inparticular, many electronic units such as hand hold mobile terminals,communication units, and the like have various assembly costs and aregenerally susceptible to damage during employment in harsh environments.Such units are generally assembled by enclosing internal electricalcomponents, such as a central processing unit (CPU) board, display,keyboard, and internal wiring, within a housing made of plastic oranother structural material. The enclosure normally serves as aprotective measure and is typically formed in two parts having an upperhousing and a lower housing. The electronic components can be mounted toone or both sides of the housing. Many such electronic units employantennas structures, flexural connection units and other mechanical andelectrical components as part of their operative assembly.

Antenna structures for such units have typically manifested themselvesas protuberances and often as extendable metallic projections out of theelectronic equipment which they service. Such components, whileessential for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic propagableelectromagnetic waves, have generally been both cumbersome andaesthetically undesirable. At the same time, they are typicallysusceptible to damage when the associated unit is being employed inharsh environments.

Because there are various types of communication systems, such as GSM,DCS, PCS, DAMPS and others, it increasingly likely to have differenttypes of systems serving a common area. These systems generally operateat various frequency ranges, e.g., GSM typically operates at 890–960 MHzand DCS typically operates at 1710–1880 MHz. As such, it is becomingdesirable to introduce any of a number of functions such as, data link,wireless units, and the like to a communication unit. Thus, antennaconfiguration and design also plays an important role in feasibility ofapplication for a unit.

While it is essential for effective antenna configurations to assume adimension proportional to the wavelength of the carrier signal, littleprogress has taken place in attending to minimization of space occupiedby antenna structures and other electronic or mechanical equipments,while simultaneously increasing the overall ruggedness and decreasingassembly costs for the associated electronic unit. Some electronicdesigners have resorted to merely placing the antenna in a spaceencapsulated by the housing. For example, one approach for reducing theobvious nature of antenna structures has been to fabricate the radiatingelements of antenna structures onto printed circuit boards and “snap”the printed circuit boards into the electronic device, which is encasedby the housing. However, such an arrangement is typically susceptible todamage during operation in harsh environments. For instance, anaccidental drop of the unit can relocate the antenna from its staticposition and affect performance of the unit. Moreover, in someapplications the snap latch features generally required for suchassemblies can pose problems. For example, the snap retention featuresmay require space, and for a unit having closely spaced terminals, theretention geometry can become a problem. The snap retention features canalso leave open passages between the front and back of an associatedconnector. These open passages may be required to become sealed forcertain applications, thus increasing associated costs. Accordingly,while such “integration” results in less obtrusive antenna-ladenequipment, such advances have not generally attempted to address themanufacturing and structural needs for an ever increasing trend towardintegration and miniaturization of electronics.

Meanwhile, progress in spectrum allocations of higher frequency ranges,permits antenna structures to derive benefit from the reduced wavelengthof such high frequency signals. In other words, as electronic devicesemploy higher frequency spectrums, the associated wavelength thatdictates the effective length of antenna structures, decreases, which inturn can lead to smaller form-factors for devices employing such antennastructures. This generally enables various communication units to assumedesirable integrated and miniaturized configurations.

Similar desire for integration exists for other components associatedwith an electronic device and its protective plastic housing. Typically,assembly of the components into the housing may require severalmanufacturing processes. Before the housing is fastened together, theCPU board, the display and other components must be assembled to asubframe, to the housing, or to some other subassembly. Such assemblysteps are generally time consuming and expensive in manufacturing.Moreover, in some units the housing enclosure is further attached to acircuit board via connecting members such as flex units. These flexunits, as separate components from the housing, are typically thin filmsof conductors and plastic with curved regions employed for interconnectprocedures. Because of constant and on going contact with these flexunits during assembly operations, the flex units are generally brokenduring fabrication and are thus susceptible to breakage. Thissusceptibility to damage and the associated secondary assembly costsalso remains a problem area for other components such as subframes,various electronic circuit boards, display units, interface components,connection terminals, keypads and the like, which are assembled as partof the electronic unit and encased by the plastic housing.

Therefore, there is a need to overcome the aforementioned deficienciesassociated with conventional devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order toprovide a basic understanding of one or more aspects of the invention.This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It isintended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention,nor to delineate the scope of the present invention. Rather, the solepurpose of this summary is to present some concepts of the invention ina simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that ispresented hereinafter.

The subject invention provides for an apparatus and method forinsert-molding various electronic and mechanical parts as part of ahousing of an electrical device. Such insert-molded parts are typicallycapable of withstanding various insert-molding process requirements,such as temperature and pressure.

One aspect of the subject invention provides for an apparatus and methodfor insert-molding an antenna as part of a housing compartment of aportable communication module. The antenna can be clamped into a moldingtool such that the bonding areas of the antenna remain exposed. Suchbonding areas provide for a direct bond between the antenna and theresin that is subsequently injected into the molding tool. Typically,the molding tool can comprise a mold surface that forms a cavity havinga pre-selected volume with an opening at the mold surface. To facilitatethe injection molding process, the clamped position of the antenna canbe in a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the molding tool.However, other planar and non-planar orientations for the antenna canalso be employed.

According to another particular aspect of the invention, molten resincan be injected into the cavity via a rate sufficient to maintain anunbroken melt front and to avoid any spraying or splashing of theplastic material within the mold cavity. The injection pressure can bemonitored and controlled until the mold cavity has been filled, at whichtime the injection pressure is maintained until the plastic material hashardened around the antenna within the mold cavity. Next, the moldedform of the housing compartment with the antenna bonded thereto is takenout by opening the mold assembly or ejected via an ejection mechanism.

The antenna can include additional bonding posts and pins as to improvebonds formed between the antenna and injected resin. In one aspectaccording to the present invention, the antenna to be insert-moldedfurther comprises interconnect pins and electrical connections employedfor subsequent wire bonding and coupling of the antenna to theelectronic device.

This subject invention facilitates optimizing antenna geometry andaperture, compared to prior art devices in which such optimization isconstrained based on the limited amount of ground plane size. Moreover,electronic devices manufactured by employing insert-molded antenna ofthe present invention are sized smaller than prior art modules. Also,insert-molding the antenna according to the present invention obviatesadditional secondary assembly operations, while providing aconfiguration for the antenna that reduces its damage susceptibilityduring application in harsh environments.

In another aspect of the invention an electronic flex circuit piece isinsert-molded onto a housing compartment. Such flex piece can be laid ona trough of a molded housing compartment and over molded thereupon.Alternatively, the housing and the flex can be molded in one stage. Thewide flex radius provided on the flex piece allows for a range offlexural bending and twisting along the edges of the housing withoutbreakage of the flex piece. As such, the flex member can be aligned andaccepted with improved connectivity for subsequent attachment viaopenings in a circuit board or other components adapted for receivingthe housing. This further mitigates rupture of flex components duringassembly operation. In addition, a housing fabricated with such flexesfacilitates any required sealing and provides improved electrostaticdischarge protection for the electronic device.

Another aspect of the subject invention provides for interfacecomponents being insert-molded with the housing compartment. Thesedevices can include various arrangements for key pads, mice, stylus, ormicrophones, computer screens, terminals, and the like. Accordingly, theinvention obviates a need for manual steps in bonding the circuitcomponents encased by the housing to one another. Put differently, theelectrical connection terminals on a device board advantageously can belocated to align automatically with the device pins insert-molded withinthe housing. Also, various communication ports, including switches,plugs and socket arrangements can be insert-molded as part of theplastic housing. The communication ports can be subsequently employedfor any suitable communication interface for communication standardsand/or protocols, e.g., parallel, SCSI, Firewire (IEEE 1394), Ethernet,etc.

Also, because virtually the entire body of the housing can be plastic,the individual power pins and interconnects can be located in closeproximity, since plastic of the housing and insert-mold provide a higherdielectric insulation as compared to the more conventional use of air asa dielectric insulator. Other aspects of the present invention providefor insert-molding, within the housing, of various electronic componentsthat are capable of withstanding the molding process.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described. The followingdescription and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certainillustrative aspects of the invention. However, these aspects areindicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles ofthe invention may be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novelfeatures of the invention will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the invention when considered in conjunctionwith the drawings. To facilitate the reading of the drawings, some ofthe drawings may not have been drawn to scale from one figure to anotheror within a given figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrate a fragmentary perspective view showing an antennainsert-molded as part of a plastic housing according to one aspect ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 2 a–2 d illustrate various antenna structures according to one ormore aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative perspective view showing an antennawithin a plastic cover of a mobile device according to an aspect of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective plan view of another aspect of aninsert-molded antenna according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic of a portable communication unit incommunication with various networks in accordance to an aspect of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b illustrate a plan and side view of the flex memberinsert-molded with a housing according to an aspect of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram depicting the insert-moldingassembly for insert-molding a component in accordance with an aspect ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic representation of a flow chart for amethodology according to one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates one particular type of device in accordance with thesubject invention.

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates one particular type of devicearchitecture in accordance with the subject invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The various aspects of the present invention will now be described withreference to the drawings. The invention provides for an apparatus andmethod for insert-molding various electronic and mechanical parts aspart of a housing of an electrical device. The insert-molded parts canbe any component amenable to holding up during various insert-moldingprocess steps. Examples of such insert-molding components can include,various type of antennas, flexural members associated with connections,various input/out put devices such as key pad arrangements, circuitboards and the like.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 a fragmentary perspective view isillustrated that shows an exemplary aspect of the present invention. Anantenna 1 is being insert-molded as part of a portion 3 of a housing.The housing can be applied for containment of an electronic device, suchas devices employed in numerous types of commercial and industrialapplications, (e.g., computers, personal digital assistants, cameras,electronic games, hand held mobile device, communication units and thelike) which are typically assembled by enclosing internal electricalcomponents, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) board, display, andinternal wiring, within the housing. Typically, materials employed forfabricating the housing can include various types of thermoset andthermoformed plastic or the like.

The electronic components can also be mounted to one or both sides ofthe housing with or without a subframe. The housing may furthercomprises various portions (e.g. an upper half and a lower half) beinginterconnected via a fastening mechanism as to encapsulate theelectronic device, or for connection to a circuit board. Moreover,various gaskets (not shown) can be provided along a perimeter of thehousing for any opening (e.g. a display, interconnect point, and thelike) to mitigate contamination, which might otherwise enter theelectronic device assembly from outside and thus affect performance ofthe unit. The gaskets can be of rubber, foam, or any other elastomer,operable to sufficiently seal the assembly of the mobile terminal.

Referring now to FIG. 2 a–FIG. 2 d, various forms and structuralconfigurations of antenna 1 is illustrated, which can include planar orthree dimensional profiles with controlled shaping and pointing of theantenna's directivity pattern. The antenna 1 can also be part of aphased array antenna subsystems that employs a distribution ofthree-dimensionally shaped antenna elements, such as helical antennaelements wound on low loss foam cores. Moreover, according to one aspectof the present invention, antenna 1 can employ a section of a thin,lightweight flex circuit decal, rather than a wire, as the antenna'sradiating element. The flex circuit can be attached to a support corethat conforms with the intended (e.g. three-dimensional) shape of theantenna, as to support and contour the flex circuit decal in itsintended three-dimensional shape. The signal coupling interface for theantenna 1 can then be formed by electromagnetically coupling of asection of transmission line to the flex circuit.

Other exemplary embodiments of the antenna 1 are further illustrated inFIG. 2( a), FIG. 2( b), which depicts multiple band antenna withmultiple branches. In one aspect of the present invention, an antennabranch 20 can have a length and geometry pre-selected to resonate in aparticular frequency band. As compared to a typical dual band helicalantenna, the multiple branch antenna as depicted in FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2b provide further design flexibility. The dual resonances of a typicaldual band helical antenna are achieved by changing pitch angle or otherhelical parameters. Because the resonant frequencies in a helicalantenna will also be dependent upon the mechanical tolerances of thehelical parameters, the multiple branch antenna as depicted in FIG. 2 aand FIG. 2 b provide a significant advantage. The printed multiplebranch antenna insert-molded as part of the plastic housing according tothe present invention significantly reduces the likelihood of mechanicaltolerance problems because the height of the antenna can be easilyadjusted by changing the strip line pattern or dimensions.

Moreover, each branch 20 can be formed by a flexible film which has ameandering, outer spiral or inner spiral strip line pattern formedthereon and which is formed into a desired shape. In one exemplaryaspect, the antenna branch is comprised of a relatively thin, flexibledielectric film 22 and a strip antenna formed by a meandering metal line23.

The meandering metal line 23 can be varied between the antenna branchessuch that the different antenna branches are resonant at differentfrequencies. Thus, multiple resonances in multiple branches can beachieved by selecting appropriate strip dimensions and patterns for eachbranch. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that a varietyof different patterns for the metal strips could be selected in order toachieve the desired resonances. FIG. 2( a) and FIG. 2( b) illustrate twosuch alternative patterns.

In FIG. 2( a), the strip antenna is formed by an outer spiral metal line20. As with the meandering metal line, the outer spiral metal line 20 ispreferably varied between the antenna branches such that the differentantenna branches are resonant at different frequencies. As analternative to the outer spiral pattern illustrated in FIG. 2( a), thestrip antenna may be formed by an inner spiral metal line 23 as isillustrated in FIG. 2( b). While the set of metal lines illustrated inFIG. 2( a) and FIG. 2( b) are both either meandering, outer spiral orinner spiral in shape, one skilled in the art will appreciate that acombination of shapes may also be employed. For example, one of themetal lines may be of a meandering shape while the other is of an inneror outer spiral shape. The selection of a particular shape depends onantenna design considerations. For example, where less interference isdesirable, the outer spiral shape should be selected. Similarly, whereit is desirable for the coupling between the lower and higher bands tobe more separated, the inner spiral shape can be selected. The metalline can be formed by printing, etching, or any other suitable method.

As shown in FIG. 2 c, because the film is a flexible material, theprinted film can be rolled into a generally cylindrical (e.g. 24 mm inlength and approximately 8 mm in diameter) for use as an antennacomponent and insert-molded at a desired configuration within theplastic housing. Such a cylinder configuration could be partially openor completely closed depending upon antenna design considerations. Forexample, the bandwidth of the antenna can be varied by varying thediameter of the cylinder. Of course, it should be appreciated that theantenna branches can be formed in shapes other than a cylinder, anddifferent branches can have different geometries (for example, circular,polygon, elliptical), depending upon design considerations. The metallines 22, 23 can also be etched directly onto a dielectric cylinder. Theuse of different geometries and manufacturing methods allow forincreased design freedom.

Referring now to FIG. 2 d, another exemplary illustration of theinsert-molded antenna is depicted. The antenna 1 can comprise anintegrally stamped thin metal conductor to function as afrequency-control structure of the antenna. An upper end of the stampedthin metal conductor can be a curled wave coil 24, and a lower end beingan elongated contact head 26. The curled wave coil can includeshorizontal and vertical wave segments adapted to two differentfrequencies of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, respectively. A cover 28 enclosesthe curved wave coil to protect the coil against impact and deformationduring the insert-molding process.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative perspective view showing an antenna 3insert-molded within a lower half plastic cover 4 of a mobile phoneaccording to an aspect of the present invention. The antenna 3 canfurther include various bonding posts and pins 6 as to improve bondsformed during resin injection between the antenna and the formedhousing. Additionally, in accordance with one aspect of the subjectinvention, the antenna to be insert-molded can further compriseinterconnect pins and electrical connections employed for subsequentwire bonding and coupling of the antenna to the electronic device. Assuch, the employed wire bonding parts are typically constructed ofmaterial that can with stand the insert-molding process steps.

An alternative positioning of the insert-molded antenna according to oneaspect of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. An antenna 30 isinsert-molded with the plastic housing 32 of mobile phone unit. Theantenna 30 can be a dielectric film or sheet metal with conductivelinings as described earlier. A conductive coupling member 34 providesfor coupling of the antenna with the electronic device. Such couplingmember 34 can also be insert-molded in to the plastic housingsimultaneously with the insert-molding of antenna 30. As such, varioussecondary assembly costs can be reduced. Moreover, since the antenna isencased by the plastic housing 32, the antenna is less susceptible todamage during application in harsh environments. Also, with the antenna30 being insert-molded the size of the mobile phone unit is beingreduced to a more compact configuration. Positioning of theinsert-molded antenna can be governed by design considerations andmolding process requirement. In addition, for a mobile unit, multipleantennas can be insert-molded at several locations of the plastichousing to improve performance potential at multiple orientations. Itwill be appreciated that a suitable antenna according to the presentinvention can be designed to operate in two or more bands correspondingto GSM, DCS, PCS, or other frequency bands.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic of operation for a communication moduleemploying an insert-molded antenna according to one aspect of thepresent invention. In one aspect of the present invention, acommunication unit employing antenna 1& 3 can transmit and receivewireless radio-frequency data communication over; a local area network(LAN) a wide area network (WAN), and a personal area network (PAN). Thecommunication unit can further operate on a dual frequency band, e.g.both the 800 MHz (analog AMPS) and 1900 MHz (digital). The invention isnot so limited and other frequency ranges and networks may also beemployed.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b illustrate a plan and side view of flex member 62 withelectronic circuitry 63 insert-molded on to the housing compartment 60in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The flex piece 62is a thin film of conductors and/or plastic employed for interconnectprocedures. The flex piece 62 can be laid on a trough of an alreadyfabricated housing compartment and over molded thereupon. Alternatively,in one aspect according to the present invention the housing and theflex can be molded in one stage. The flex piece 62 can be fabricatedfrom material with high deformability features, such as various plastic,rubber, and the like, having a form of a thin film warped and curved atdifferent locations. The wide flex radius 64 provided on the flex piece62 allows for a range of flexural bending and twisting along the edgesof the housing without breakage of the flex piece.

Accordingly, the flex member 62 can be aligned and accepted withimproved connectivity for subsequent attachments to openings in acircuit board or other components adapted for receiving the plastichousing 60. This further mitigates rupture of flex components duringassembly operation. In addition, a housing fabricated with such flexesfacilitates any required sealing and provides improved electrostaticdischarge protection for the electronic device.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a schematic diagram depicts a system forinsert-molding according to one aspect of the present invention.Initially, the injection unit 70 melts the polymer resin and injects thepolymer melt into the mold 72. The unit 70 may be ram fed or screw fed.The ram fed injection molding machine uses a hydraulically operatedplunger to push the plastic through a heated region. The high viscositymelt is then spread into a thin layer by a “torpedo” to allow for bettercontact with the heated surfaces. The melt converges at a nozzle 71 andis injected into the mold 72. The reciprocation screw injection moldingmachine employs a screw that rotates and axially reciprocates. Rotationis produced by a hydraulic motor and acts to melt, mix, and pump thepolymer resin. A hydraulic system controls the axial reciprocation ofthe screw, allowing it to act like a plunger, moving the melt forwardfor injection. A valve prevents back flow of the melt from the moldcavity.

Next, the polymer flows from the nozzle 71 to the mold 72, which can becoupled to the nozzle 71 by a sprue bushing (not shown). Typically, theinjection mold 72 includes two mold halves incorporating thin walledmembers to define a cavity therebetween. Before injecting plasticmaterial into the cavity 72, the mold can be heated to a temperatureabove the melting point of the plastic material by circulating a heatcarrier flowing through a heating device. During injection of plasticmaterial, the flow of heat carrier is stopped for maintaining thetemperature of the mold and for supporting the thin walled members.Molten resin can be injected into the cavity 72 via a rate sufficient tomaintain an unbroken melt front and to avoid any spraying or splashingof the plastic material within the mold cavity. The injection processrequirements can be regulated via a control unit 74 that includes a CPU.The control unit 74 can control and monitor, for example, the injectionpressure until the mold cavity has been filled, at which time theinjection pressure is maintained until the plastic material has hardenedaround the antenna within the mold cavity.

After completely filling the cavity, the mold 72 is cooled down. Theinsert-molded component can be held in place via employment of a clampassembly associated with the mold 72. The insert-molding process can becontrolled throughout, so that the insert-molded component is notdislocated or damaged.

In a mold with multiple cavities, the melt flows to each cavity byrunners and is fed to the cavity through a gate. The gate is simply arestriction in the flow path just ahead of the mold cavity and serves todirect the flow of the melt into the cavity and to limit back flow. Thegate can comprise a plurality of gate orifices located near the edges ofthe mold cavity. These orifices can be located as to allow forwardingresin material into the mold cavity in roughly equal volumes on all freesides of the component being insert-molded with the housing.

In addition, resin injection can be performed via gas assisted injectionand non-gas assisted injection. Gas assisted injected mold processinggenerally comprises two steps. First, viscous thermoplastic is injectedthrough runner conduits and gate conduits into mold cavities. Shortlythereafter gas is injected through the runners and gates to force thethermoplastic against the walls of the mold cavities to form the desiredarticles. In the case of non gas-assisted injection molding, there is nogas injection step.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a flow chart is illustrated for a methodologyof insert-molding a component within a housing of an electronic unit.The method comprises positioning the insert-molded component within themold at a selected location and injecting a resin material in to themold. While the exemplary method is illustrated and described herein asa series of blocks representative of various events and/or acts, thepresent invention is not limited by the illustrated ordering of suchblocks. For instance, some acts or events may occur in different ordersand/or concurrently with other acts or events, apart from the orderingillustrated herein, in accordance with the invention. In addition, notall illustrated blocks, events or acts, any be required to implement amethodology in accordance with the present invention. Moreover, it willbe appreciated that the exemplary method and other methods according tothe invention may be implemented in association with the insert-moldedcomponents illustrated and described herein, as well as in associationwith other systems and apparatus not illustrated or described.

Beginning at 82, the exemplary method comprises selecting the locationof the insert-molded component as part of the housing. The location ofinsert-molded component may be selected for example, based on thetechnical and application requirements associated with the particularcomponent. In addition, the location may depend on aestheticrequirements related to appearance of the housing part. Theinsert-molded component can be placed and kept in position via a clampassembly of the mold, to minimize any displacement of the insert-moldedcomponent during the process. To ameliorate possible damage to theinsert-molded component during the injection process, the insert-moldedcomponents may also be placed in a protective sheath or casing.

At 84 the resin is controllably injected in to the cavity. The employedresin can comprise various types of thermoset plastic or thermo plasticmaterial such as polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate,polyphenylene sulfide, diallyl phthalate, phenolic resins, and the like.The resin material can be injected into the cavity via a rate sufficientto maintain an unbroken melt front and to avoid any spraying orsplashing of the plastic material within the mold cavity. In addition,the injection pressure and temperature can be regulated via a controlunit as to moderate susceptibility of damage to the insert-moldedcomponent.

The injection pressure can be monitored and controlled until the moldcavity has been filled, at which time the injection pressure ismaintained until the plastic material has hardened around the antennawithin the mold cavity. At 86 the mold is cooled down as to solidify theinjected resin and form the housing compartment with the componentinsert-molded therein. The cooling can be performed via a circulationsystem in a time controlled manner. For example, initially, the areamost distant to the sprue area can be cooled, and then the coolinggradually progresses from the distant area to the sprue area.

Next, the molded form of the housing compartment with the componentbonded thereto is taken out by opening the mold assembly. To facilitateremoval of the finished housing compartment, the mold assembly mayfurther comprise an ejector. The above described methods may have to berepeated in various cycles as to fabricate the desired finished housingwith insert-molded component.

Another aspect of the subject invention provides for interfacecomponents being insert-molded with the housing compartment. Thesedevices can include various arrangements for modular key pads, mice,stylus, or microphones, computer screens, terminals, and the like. Thesedevices typically facilitate manufacturing and service, marketingflexibility, expansion and accessory, and customer reconfiguration. Forexample, modular keypads insert-molded with a plastic housing of amobile terminal can be employed to enter identification informationconcerning the user into the mobile terminal. Additionally, the keypadcan be utilized to enter information concerning modes of operation ofthe mobile terminal or to carry out cancellation or manipulationoperations on information provided by the terminal.

Accordingly, various components insert-molded with the plastic housingaccording to the present invention obviates a need for subsequent manualsteps in bonding the circuit components encased by the housing to oneanother. Put differently, the electrical connection terminals on adevice board advantageously can be located to align automatically withthe device pins insert-molded within the housing. Various physicalcommunication inter face ports can also be insert-molded as part of thehousing. Such interface ports can then be employed as part of a serialcommunication port and/or in conjunction with other suitablecommunication standard and/or protocol, e.g., parallel, SCSI, Firewire(IEEE 1394), Ethernet, or the like. Also, because virtually the entirebody of the housing can be plastic, any individual power pin and/orinterconnects can be located in close proximity, since plastic of thehousing and insert-mold provide a higher dielectric insulation ascompared to the more conventional use of air as a dielectric insulator.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a handheld terminal 200 in accordancewith an aspect of the present invention. The handheld terminal 200includes a housing 210 which can be constructed from a high strengthplastic, metal, or any other suitable material. The handheld terminal200 includes a display 220. As is conventional, the display 220functions to display data or other information relating to ordinaryoperation of the handheld terminal 200 and/or mobile companion (notshown). For example, software operating on the handheld terminal 200and/or mobile companion may provide for the display of restaurantinformation, menu information, specials, price information, etc. to auser. Additionally, the display 220 may display a variety of functionsthat are executable by the handheld terminal 200 and/or one or moremobile companions. The display 220 provides for graphics basedalpha-numerical information such as, for example, the price of a menuitem. The display 220 also provides for the display of graphics such asicons representative of particular menu items, for example. The display220 can also be a touch screen, which may employ capacitive, resistivetouch, infrared, surface acoustic wave, or grounded acoustic wavetechnology.

The handheld terminal 200 further includes user input keys 230 forallowing a user to input information and/or operational commands. Theuser input keys 230 may include a full alphanumeric keypad, functionkeys, enter keys, etc. The handheld terminal 200 can also include amagnetic strip reader 240 or scanner (not shown). The magnetic stripreader 240 can receive credit card, bank card, etc. information as acustomer payment option. An electronic signature apparatus can also beemployed in connection with the magnetic strip reader or a telechecksystem.

The handheld terminal 200 can also include a window (not shown) in whicha bar code reader is able to read a bar code label, or the like,presented to the handheld terminal 200. The handheld terminal 200 caninclude a LED (not shown) that is illuminated to reflect whether the barcode has been properly or improperly read. Alternatively, oradditionally, a sound may be emitted from a speaker (not shown) to alertthe user that the bar code has been successfully imaged and decoded. Thehandheld terminal 200 also includes an antenna (not shown) for wirelesscommunication with an RF access point; and an IR transceiver (not shown)for communication with an IR access point.

Turning now to FIG. 10, a schematic representation according to oneaspect of the present invention is shown in which a processor 305 isresponsible for controlling the general operation of a handheld terminaland/or mobile companion 300. The processor 305 is programmed to controland operate the various components within the handheld terminal and/ormobile companion 300 in order to carry out the various functionsdescribed herein. The processor or CPU 305 can be any of a plurality ofsuitable processors. The manner in which the processor 305 can beprogrammed to carry out the functions relating to the present inventionwill be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art basedon the description provided herein.

A memory 310 tied to the processor 305 is also included in the handheldterminal and/or mobile companion 300 and serves to store program codeexecuted by the processor 305 for carrying out operating functions ofthe handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 as described herein.The memory 310 also serves as a storage medium for temporarily storinginformation such as receipt transaction information and the like. Thememory 310 is adapted to store a complete set of the information to bedisplayed. According to one aspect, the memory 310 has sufficientcapacity to store multiple sets of information, and the processor 305could include a program for alternating or cycling between various setsof display information.

A display 315 is coupled to the processor 305 via a display driversystem 318. The display 315 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or thelike. In this example, the display 715 is a ¼ VGA display with 16 levelsof gray scale. The display 315 functions to display data or otherinformation relating to ordinary operation of the handheld terminaland/or mobile companion 300. For example, the display 315 may display aset of customer information, which is displayed to the operator and maybe transmitted over a system backbone (not shown). Additionally, thedisplay 315 may display a variety of functions that control theexecution of the handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300. Thedisplay 315 is capable of displaying both alphanumeric and graphicalcharacters. Power is provided to the processor 305 and other componentsforming the handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 by at leastone battery 320. In the event that the battery(s) 320 fails or becomesdisconnected from handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300, asupplemental power source 323 can be employed to provide power to theprocessor 305. The handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 mayenter a minimum current draw of sleep mode upon detection of a batteryfailure.

The handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 includes acommunication subsystem 325 that includes a data communication port 328,which is employed to interface the processor 305 with the main computer.The handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 also optionallyincludes an RF section 330 connected to the processor 305. The RFsection 330 includes an RF receiver 335, which receives RF transmissionsfrom the main computer for example via an antenna 340 and demodulatesthe signal to obtain digital information modulated therein. The RFsection 330 also includes an RF transmitter 345 for transmittinginformation to the main computer, for example, in response to anoperator input at a operator input device 350 (e.g., keypad,touchscreen) or the completion of a transaction. Peripheral devices,such as a printer 355, signature pad 360, magnetic strip reader 365, andbarcode scanner/imager 370 can also be coupled to the handheld terminaland/or mobile companion 300 through the processor 305.

The handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 also includes a tamperresistant grid 375 to provide for secure payment transactions. If thehandheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 is employed as paymentterminal, it can be loaded with a special operating system. However, ifthe handheld terminal and/or mobile companion 300 is employed as ageneral purpose terminal, it can be loaded with a general purposeoperating system.

While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodology ofFIG. 9 is shown and described herein as executing serially, it is to beunderstood and appreciated that the present invention is not limited bythe illustrated order, as some aspects could, in accordance with thepresent invention, occur in different orders and/or concurrently withother aspects from that shown and described herein. Moreover, not allillustrated features may be required to implement a methodology inaccordance with an aspect the present invention.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect tocertain illustrated aspects, it will be appreciated that equivalentalterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the artupon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexeddrawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by theabove described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, systems,etc.), the terms used to describe such components are intended tocorrespond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performsthe specified function of the described component (e.g., that isfunctionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to thedisclosed structure, which performs the function in the hereinillustrated exemplary aspects of the invention

In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have beendisclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, suchfeature may be combined with one or more other features of the otherimplementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given orparticular application. As used in this application, the term“component” is intended to refer to any electronic or mechanical partassociated with an electrical device. Furthermore, to the extent thatthe terms “includes”, “including”, “has”, “having”, and variants thereofare used in either the detailed description or the claims, these termsare intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term“comprising.

1. A mobile terminal, comprising: a plastic housing comprising at leastone of a transmitter, a receiver, a flex member and an antenna; a barcode reader; and a component insert-molded as part of the plastichousing such that at least a portion of the component is embedded withinthe plastic of the plastic housing.
 2. The mobile terminal of claim 1,the component comprising an electrical or electronic component.
 3. Themobile terminal of claim 1, the component comprising a mechanicalcomponent.
 4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, the component isinsert-molded within the plastic housing.
 5. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, the component is a flex member insert-molded on a trough of theplastic housing for an electrical or mechanical connection of theplastic housing to other bodies.
 6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, thecomponent comprising an interface unit for the electronic device.
 7. Themobile terminal of claim 1, the component is completely embedded withinthe plastic of the plastic housing and has an exposed interconnect pin.8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, the at least one of the transmitter,the receiver, the flex member and the antenna is insert-molded into theplastic housing.
 9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, the antenna receivesa frequency corresponding to at least one of a Local Area Network, aWide Area Network, a Personal Area Network, GSM, DCS, and PCS.
 10. Themobile terminal of claim 1, the antenna comprising a set of meanderinglines of metal with a geometry that determines signal frequencyreceptivity.
 11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, the set of meanderinglines of metal is formed by at least one of an etching and a printing ona dielectric layer.
 12. A mobile terminal comprising: means for readingbar codes; means for housing the mobile terminal, the means for housinghaving integrated therewith via insert-molding at least one of atransmitter, a receiver, a flex member and an antenna(s) such that atleast a portion of the at least one of the transmitter, the receiver,the flex member and the antenna(s) are embedded within the plastic of aplastic housing.